Teologia oddania się Maryi w „macierzyńską niewolę miłości”

Abstract

The paper studies the theological groundwork of the solemn surrenderlng, by the Episcopate of Poland, on May 3, 1936, of the Polish nation and Church to Mary, ”into motherly slavery of love... for the freedom of the Church in the world and in our country”. The text of the document reveals its dependence on the ”holy slavery” promoted by St Louis Grignion de Montfort. It shows also the influence of the Consecration, by Pope Pius XII, of the Church, of the mankind, and of the whole world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Polish consecration, however, differs from these two insofar as its doctrinal and pastoral premisses reflect the teaching of the Second Vatican Council on the Church and on Mary. The bishops handed the Polish nation over to Mary into no other slavery than "maternal”. The Polish church, herself a mother, surrenders to Mary, Mother of the Church. What is sought thereby is such a union with Mary as to constitute, as it were, one joint motherhood with respect to the faithful. By the donation the Church wishes to become ”an instrument in Mary’s hands”, a ”true auxiliary of the Universal Church in the edification of Christ’s body on earth”; and to do in her life not her own will, but Mary’s and her Son’s”. The question thus phrased is discussed in two parts. Part I analyses the theological premisses of the consecration, i. e. the donation in the light of earlier consecrations to Mary, the idea of slavery in the Bible, the rôle of Mary qua mother and the Lord’s handmaid, the rôle of the Church in the salvation of the world. Part two deals with certain practical aspects concerning the fulfilment of the consecration to Mary. Consideration is given to the binding force of the Act, the duties of the consecrated, the ways in which the Church cooperates with Mary, and, lastly, there follows a brief synthetic expose on the meaning of the maternal slavery of love. Earlier practice had put the main stress on individual consecration to Mary. Pius XII’s Act has the character of a prayer addressed to Mary that She intercede ”with God for the peace and liberty of the Holy Church” (AAS, 34 (1942) 318). Following the teaching of Vatican II, the Document of the Polish Episcopate puts the main stress on the imitation of Mary. The Church of Poland desires to imitate Mary, in her double condition of God’s Mother and Handmaid; she wishes to be devoted to Christ in the members of His mystical body, as Mary was devoted to, and served Him. The whole Polish nation has been surrendered to Mary into a "maternal thraldom of love” . And justly, for the edification of the Church is the task of the people of God as a whole. Everyone has been offered to Mary, with no exception, both the just and the sinners. The very conversion requires, in fact, much self-abnegation and sacrifice, thus contributing to the edification of the Church. The particular end pursued by the Bishops was, however, to stir up the faithful to an eager fullfilment of their religious duties. The consecration is to be an all-inclusive effort of the whole Church of Poland towards the sanctification of all the faithful and a mutual service of one another in charity, so as to bring them all to, and unite with Christ. That is why, the Church in Poland calls everyone to a special imitation of Christ who ”made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant (slave)’’ Phil. 2, 7. Therefore she requires of her faithful a great, nay heroic generosity. This is consonant with Christ’s doctrine. For if the Church d’id not possess faithful capable of heroic deeds, she would not be able to imitate Christ fully, which means that she would not be able-to achieve a perfect shaping of herself after the model set by Him, and "come unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4, 13). Such is the aim pursued by the Church in the surrendering to Mary performed by the Episcopate. This slavery of love cannot be understood unless it is considered in the aspect of God’s love as shown in the salvation. The Revelation knows three kinds of love. Love as full and perfect surrendering of one person to another: such love achieves its plenitude in the Holy Trinity only; and a similar love will take existence between Christ and the Church "within the Universal Church at His Father’s”. There is also love such as Christ- and Mary have borne and still bear to God and men. This is the love that animates any vocation, motherhood and fatherhood. It represents the highest ideal of the service of love, which is most aptly expressed in the phrase "love’s maternal service”. Such is the love communicated by Christ to his Mystical Body, to all the members thereof, so that, loving each other, they save themselves and lead others to salvation. It is a love that liberates man from the thraldom of sin. For as ”he that shall humble himself shall be exalted”, and "whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it”, so he that shall become ”the slave of God and men”, shall make himself free, and lead others to freedom.